Will you pray with me?  Lord, may the words of my lips and the meditations of all
our hearts be acceptable in your sight, our Rock and our Redeemer.  Amen.

In just a short while, Old South Church in Boston will do one of the best things that any church ever does: we will confirm thirteen of our teenagers as full, adult members of this church.  Their Confirmation journey began a year and a half ago, in the fall of 2005.  Since then, they have met every Sunday of the program year, to learn and experience the content and the practices of the Christian faith.  They studied, they talked, they did homework.  They had conversations with members of our church.  They visited other churches and worshiping communities of other faiths.  They went on weekend retreats.  Adults who committed their time and love to passing on the faith in this way including six different teachers working on a rotating schedule, our Youth Worker Rolanda Ward, who led their retreats, mentors carefully selected for their mature and active faith, the staff of the church, and, of course, their parents.  It has been a big and a worthy task.

A couple of weeks ago, the Confirmands went on their final retreat together.  And while everyone knows that the real reason for Confirmation retreats is to play flashlight tag on the beach, they did spent the hours during which it was too light to play flashlight tag talking about their beliefs.  By the end of their time together, they had come up with a common statement of faith that encapsulates the beliefs held in common by the group.  I’d like to invite Reid Spitzer, Emily Hill, and Will Palmer, three of our Confirmands, up to share that statement now.  As they read, I invite you to listen carefully, to see where you enter these statements, which ones you agree with and which challenge you to deeper thought and reflection.  Ready, guys?

Reid:    We believe that God is forgiving.  We believe that God has a son named Jesus.

Emily:    We believe that God is loving.  We believe that God is compassionate.

Will:    We believe that God rules heaven.  We believe that God is with us in times of need.  We believe that God is our Creator.

Reid:    We believe that Jesus aids us.  We believe Jesus epitomizes compassion.

Emily:    We believe that Jesus died for us, but then was resurrected.  We believe Jesus teaches us.

Will:    We believe Jesus was the son of God.

Reid:    We believe that God sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide us.

Emily:    We believe the Holy Spirit consoles us.

Will:    We are still working to understand more about the Holy Spirit.

Reid:    We believe the church is where people come together to worship God.

Emily:    We believe church helps us learn more about God and expand our faith.

Will:    We believe the church gives us comfort in hard times and helps us to get through them.

Reid:    We believe that to be a Christian you must be a follower of Jesus.

Emily:     We believe that we are called to be disciples of Jesus.

Will:    We believe that to be a follower of Jesus you must be forgiving and follow his teachings.

Pretty good, right?  Now, I’d like to ask for a show of hands, please.  How many of you heard something in that statement that you agree with, a belief that you share?  Great.  Now, keep your hand up if can say you share more than half of the beliefs the Confirmands articulated; if not, put your hand down.  OK, now, if you can say that you share almost all of the Confirmands’ beliefs, keep your hands up.  Confirmands, look around.  This is a good sign.  OK, everybody put your hands down.

Now, the Confirmands didn’t stop with just articulating their beliefs.  They went on.  After listing what they believed, they made another list, a list of the questions they have about the faith, the things they have doubts or wonderings about; we’d like to share those, too.  Again, as they read, listen carefully.  See where their questions meet your own, which ones you share.  Guys?

Reid:    Is there really a heaven?  Is there one man that’s God?  Is there a hell?

Emily:    How obligated am I to go to church if I am confirmed?

Will:    After being confirmed, can we leave the church later in our lives if we find conflict in our faith?

Reid:    Will we have to vote on church issues and give an offering?  Do we have to prove our faith by giving our money?  Why can’t we just personally give money to people who need it?

Emily: Does God exist, really?

Will:    How do I deal with people who don’t accept/have issues with my faith?

Reid:    I have no questions.

Emily:    Can I change faith to fit my beliefs?

Will:    What is the border line to going to heaven?

Reid:    What should I think about other religions?

Emily:    When was the church first created?

Will:    When was religion first created?

Thanks, guys.  Well done.  You can go on down and have a seat now.

Not bad, huh?  OK, now another show of hands.  Anybody out there that shares any of the questions or doubts or wonderings the Confirmands had, will you please raise your hands?  Don’t be shy; it’s OK.  Aah, I thought so.  Confirmands, look around again at the people of your church, and know this: we who share your faith share your questions and your doubts.  OK, everybody can put your hands down now.

One of the things that your Confirmation means is that we and you—both of us—believe that you’re ready to make your own promises, make your own decisions, and to affirm, or confirm, the promises that many of you had made on your behalf when you were baptized as babies.

Why do we believe that you’re ready?  Well, there are lots of reasons.  You’re old enough.  You’re in the right grade.  You’ve completed Confirmation Class.  Perhaps most importantly, as we heard just a moment ago, you can articulate your faith.  You can say what you believe.  But there’s something just as important as the fact that you can articulate your beliefs, and it is this: you can articulate your questions.  You’re not just committed enough to believe; you’re committed enough to ask questions.

In today’s Gospel reading, a man comes to Jesus for help for his son.  He has a lot of questions, a bunch of doubts.  He’s not sure who Jesus is, or whether he can help him with his problem.  But he has enough faith to come to Jesus and ask for help.  “I believe; help my unbelief!”, he says.  “I believe enough to show up,” he says.  “I believe enough to be here, to talk to you, to wonder about what you can do.  But I am not sure of everything.  I do not know all you can do, or all that you are.  So show me.  Help my unbelief.”  And the story says that for Jesus, that’s enough.

When you guys join this church in a few moments, what you will not promise is that you have a certain set of beliefs, with no questions, no doubts, no wonderings.  What you will not do is swear to a list of points of belief.  What you will not do is promise that you will always, every day and in every way, believe.  What you will do, now that you and we think you’re ready, is promise to live in communion with God and to walk with us, we who share your beliefs and your questions, to answer with us when Jesus calls our name and asks us to follow him.  You can’t make any promises about what you will definitely believe or how you will definitely feel; no one can.  What you can promise is what you will do, that you will walk with us as we approach God with our belief and our unbelief.  That’s what Confirmation is.

The church of Jesus Christ was founded, and built, and loved, and protected, and grown for all these 2000 and more years by people like the father in this story, like the disciples of Jesus, like you and us, people with deep faith, and big questions walking together with God, praying over and over and over again, “I believe, help my unbelief!”  That’s who we are.  And the story says that for God, that’s enough.

So.  You’re old enough.  You’re in the right grade.  You’ve finished the class.  You have faith.  You have questions.  You have a church that can’t wait to walk with you in both, and you have the love of a God that’s even now calling your name and asking you to follow.  Good and faithful servants, you’re ready.  Praise God and Amen.